Three Monks

China National Theatre for Children (China)

NAHATenbusu Naha

A creative drama combined with Chinese martial arts, opera, modern dance and multimedia.

There is a famous saying in China: One monk shoulders two buckets of water. Two monks lift one bucket of water. Three monks have no water! This is a story told generation after generation.

Long long ago, there is a temple on the top of the mountain, lived an old eminent monk. One day, a little naughty monk came. The old monk accepted him as his disciple. Then, the little monk began to learn from the Master, lived a simple life, including carrying water.

A few days later, the little monk met a fat monk on the way to carry water. The naughty monk led the fat monk to the temple. Then the Master accepted the fat monk as his second disciple. After that, the two monks carried water together until the thin monk coming. Since then, the three monks were all unwilling to carry water though everybody is thirsty.

One night, a candle was knocked down from the table, leading to a big fire. Three monks were awakened and they quickly ran down the mountain and carried water. They worked together. At last, they learned the importance of cooperation. Since then they begin to live a harmonious life.

This drama tells a classic Chinese story with distinct features and connotation of China traditional culture. It is a newly created physical anime drama for small theatre. This drama had no words, and tried to use interesting body languages to present the story and characters.

About the Company

Founded in 1956, China National Theatre for Children (CNTC) is the only national children's art troupe directly subordinated to the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China. The first president of CNTC was Ren Hong.

CNTC has borne the responsibility of inheriting, developing, creating and presenting excellent theatrical performances for the youth, played an important role of representing, demonstrating and guiding in national children's drama. For more than half a century, CNTC has dedicated numerous classic and diverse dramas for the audience and cultivated a large number of distinguished and outstanding artists and performers for children's drama, many of whom are winners of various prestigious art awards in China.

China National Theatre for Children is the only state level theatre for children, which was named and inscribed by Comrade Soong Ching-ling. In 2005, on its fourth floor, a special small theatre called “Holiday Classic Theatre” was opened. The two various sized theatres are cross-echoed with classic children dramas presented to the audience every week. CNTC has already been the Art Palace of modern China children’s drama.